BBBL U15 (2009) First Stage SummaryBoys U15
Last week (06.10-08.10.2023) we had one of the oldest age groups – U15 (2009), boys coming to Valmiera, Latvia to participate in first stage and with this stage we finish 4 week marathon in Valmiera. We will continue with Riga, Latvia for U13 and U16 first stages.
Valmiera city was PACKED last week when 16 teams participated in U15 first stage from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Ukraine!
NKA (Kaunas, Lithuania) finished first stage with 5-0, only close game for them being versus Liepaja team on Sunday (57-48). Is there anybody, who can stop them in Stage II? Ezerzeme-Rezekne team, for a surprise, also finished I stage with 5-0. Great job! CYSS Litvaka team from Ukraine, playing with only 6 players all stage managed to get 4 wins, same with Tartu team, who this time didn’t bring their leaders, but still managed to get 4 wins. And lastly, Liepaja team also finished with 4 wins and 1 loss. It was very great to see Liepaja team much improved from last season where they got only 6 wins in 21 total games played. It certainly wasn't easy for Liepaja opponents to score something in the paint against Liepaja “Twin-Towers” Emils Steckis and Roberts Valdis Berzins.
Final results for U15 boys in first stage:
- NKA – 5/0
- Ezerzeme-Rezekne – 5/0
- CYSS Litvaka – 4/1
- University of Tartu – 4/1
- Liepaja – 4/1
- BVBS – 3/2
- KK Viimsi/Kesklinna/KK/GAG – 3/2
- Taltech BS – 3/2
- Siauliai (2010 boys) – 3/2
- Taltech/Altius – 2/3
- Jelgavas BJSS – 2/3
- Rae SK / Kiili SK – 1/4
- BC Kalev Cramo/KK Sokud – 1/4
- Basketbola klase – 0/5
- Rapla BS / Kohila Sports Club – 0/5
- Orissaare – 0/5
As previously mentioned, team CYSS Litvaka from Ukraine, Odessa played all 5 games in first stage with only 6 players and won 4 out of 5 games. In the past, there have been teams in BBBL with very short roster (7-8 players) but most of the teams having so few players resulted in a lot of losses and not very great resistance to other teams. Litvaka team was a different story last week! This is something never seen before, so we had to ask their manager Nikita some questions about the stage and how did they manage something like this?
1. Coming all the way from Ukraine, Odessa to Valmiera and back. Where there any challenges You had while traveling? How long was the trip for You?
Our way to Valmiera took 2 days and one day back. We are already used to such difficult trips.
2. Are there any games happening in Ukraine at the moment for Your team?
Last season we had Ukrainian National Championship and local tournament in Odessa. This season at the moment only local tournament is happening, but not many games happening there. 2-3 games at most every month.
3. What are Your goals in BBBL this season?
We are going to win this season!
On Saturday’s evening like in first 3 stages, coaches had to show their basketball skills :))
We started with free-throw shot and 5 coaches – Ceslavs Mateikovics, (Jelgavas BJSS), Aleksejs Grehovs (Ezerzeme-Rezekne), Rene Sepp (University of Tartu), Kaarel Traumann (KK Viimsi) and Ilgonis Pilāgs (Basketbola klase) made the free throw shot to advance to the final round - (three-pointer)
For the 3 point shot, it looked like we will go to another round, because first 4 coaches couldn’t make the three-pointer, but Ilgonis from Basketbola klase team came as the last coach and made it with no stress, winning the coach contest!
And, besides coach contest we also had three-point shot contest for players. 13 out of 16 teams took part of it. In Top-4 only Latvian teams made it - Jelgavas BJSS, Bertanu Valmieras BS, Liepaja and Basketbola klase! This time Jelgava city boys were more successful and got the first place, winning a close one in final game against home court advantage having team – Valmiera.
Pictures from the contests:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=BestBalticBasketballLeague&set=a.838047401658138
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=BestBalticBasketballLeague&set=a.838696681593210
Top-10 highlights for this week stage You will find here:
Next stage for U15 boys is planned little bit after New Year – 12.01-14.01.2024 – Liepaja, Latvia and Riga, Latvia.
In U15 (2009) category 23 teams total have registered from 7 countries:
Latvia (8) – Basketbola klase, BVBS, DSN, Ezerzeme-Rezekne, Jelgavas BJSS, Liepaja, Sigulda, and Tukums.
Estonia (9) – BC Kalev Cramo/KK Sokud, Keila BS, KK Viimsi/Kesklinna/KK/GAG, Orissaare, Rae SK / Kiili SK, Rapla BS/Kohila SC, Taltech BS, Taltech/Altius and University of Tartu BS.
Lithuania (2) – Siauliai, NKA-I Hegelmann Litauen
Georgia (1) – BC Academy Tbilisi
Ukraine (1) – CYSS Litvaka
Sweden (1) – AIK Basket
Finland (1) – Ura Basket
We will have new champions this season for 2009 boys! Last season in Ventspils city finals stage, KA Snaiperis team from Kaunas, Lithuania took home the gold medals, finishing their perfect season with 15-0. Basketball Academy Saule from Siauliai, Lithuania got silver medals, Tbilisi Basket from Tbilisi, Georgia got the bronze while Ventspils Spars from Ventspils, Latvia were fourth. Not a single team from last season’s Top-4 is back at the moment! That just means we’re up for great surprises!
Finals stage place is planned in the city of wind – Liepaja, 10-12 May. Let’s go!!!
